THE AMERICAN HOME

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 235, 1 July 1944, Page 5

THE AMERICAN HOME

From A Woman’s Viewpoint To be told American women regarded housework as “fun” was something of a revelation to the audience of women who heard Mrs. C. E. Christopherson’s talk a; the E.S.U. in Wellington yesterday. Mrs. Christopherson is the wife of the second secretary at the American Legation, aud as an average American house; wife she described the fascination ox “keeping her own bouse.” The term “does her own work was frowned on in favour of the term “keeping house,” she said. Things were “quite wonderful” for American women, in their kitchens, which were scientific, streamlined, comfortable, and colourful. They liked doing their own work, even those of them who could afford to keep several maids. Housekeeping was taken seriously; it did not become irksome because everything was designed to help them. Women were discerning and critical buyers. Things must be of the best, and that was where the competition that flourished in America served the housewife well. _ Women did the shopping for the nation. Whatever new appliance was made for the home, it was just what the women wanted it to be, because before manufacture began, thousands of questionnaires would be scut out by the manufacturer to ascertain what women would demand of it. Women were willing to spend weeks searching for the right tiling before making a purchase. In men’s wear, 75 per cent, was bought by women. Some of the things that made her own home a pleasant place in which to work were the washing machine, electric stove, hot water service, and controlled room heat. This particular washing machine did the entire washing once it was switched on. Clothes were washed twice, rinsed the proper number of times, and swirled dry. The stove had a “timer” as well as a regulator, and the oven was so perfectly insulated .■ that three, cakes could be cooked exactly equally in different shelves at the one time. The oven could be set and if no one was at home it would. switch on at the right time to start cooking the dinner. Gas mid electricity companies, manufacturers and newspapers conducted free cookery schools, or domestic economy experts could be consulted in the home, as many companies employed them. American women studied the “Good Housekeeping” mag’azines seriously, they were keen to learn at all times, and wanted their homes to be praised. Getting along with the neighbours was a. very important thing. In America, fences or hedges between houses were few, or if there were, gaps were left in the sides so that the neighbours could go through. Neighbours, men aud women, ' consulted each other constantly on all things, so that a final achievement in house decorating or garden care, “sort of belonged to everybody who had bad a word in its doing,” the speaker explained.

Mrs. Christopherson said she had not been home to the United States since war broke out, but she knew people were getting along now with much less and buying war bonds. Unpainted furniture was a good “buy,” the purchasers painting and decorating it themselves. There was a new kind of paint available now that covered any surface, wood, paper, or brick, and dried in 30 minutes. A gallon cost less than £l. There were also wallpapers gummed ready for pasting. Mrs. 17. D. Good welcomed new members and' visitors, and Mrs. H. Dunn sang. The .bring-and-hny stall helped funds for the war work circle.